CANEX Prize for Publishing / How to Apply
CANEX Prize for Publishing 2026: Applications Open Until June 30
Publishers across Africa, the Caribbean, and selected Latin American countries can now submit entries for the CANEX Prize for Publishing 2026, an initiative of Afreximbank’s Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) designed to celebrate excellence in publishing.
The prize recognizes outstanding trade books and offers significant financial rewards, including a $20,000 prize for the winner and $2,000 for each finalist.
Eligibility
Publishers may submit up to four trade books intended for a general audience. Eligible categories include:
- Fiction
- Non-fiction
- Poetry
- Short story collections
- Essay collections
- Graphic novels, graphic memoirs, and comics
The books’ original publication must come from publishing companies registered in an African Union member state, a CARICOM member country, or eligible countries like Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, and Panama.
Books written in English, French, Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili, or any African language are eligible.
Submission Process for the CANEX Prize for Publishing
To enter, publishers must:
- Register for the CANEX Book Factory and select the CANEX Prize for Publishing.
- Complete the entry form and provide evidence of incorporation as a publishing company.
- Upload a digital copy of each submitted title.
- Send four physical copies of each eligible book after receiving confirmation from the prize administrators.
There is no entry fee.
The CANEX Prize for Publishing Awards
- Winner: $20,000
- Each Finalist: $2,000
Finalists will also receive travel support to attend the CANEX Prize Award events. Publishers selected as finalists are required to share 10% of their prize money with the author(s) of the winning title.
Deadline
The deadline to register and submit entries for the Prize for Publishing is June 30, 2026. Publishers are encouraged to review all eligibility requirements and prepare their digital and physical submissions well ahead of the deadline.
For publishers looking to strengthen their industry knowledge and expand their reach, resources such as 5 Good Reasons to Take a Publishing Course and this guide to the 10 Best African Booksellers offer useful insights into the broader publishing landscape.
The CANEX Prize for Publishing continues to highlight outstanding books and the publishers bringing African and diaspora stories to readers around the world.
Complete the online application via the Evalato platform.
